Anyone who has ever received criticism about a written assignment has quite possibly been told to use more transition words, which is where this list of transition words come in handy.

List of Transition Words

While you do not want your paper or other written piece to sound like a long string of transition words, consider adding some of these suggestions when appropriate in order to spice up your work and to make the sections flow more smoothly from one to another.

What follows is a list of transition words which you might want to use in your writing from time to time. Note that some of them are phrases and not singular words.

Therefore

However

Moreover

Lastly

Next

Also

Furthermore

In addition to

Similarly

Likewise

Accordingly

Hence

Consequently

As a result

Thereby

Otherwise

Subsequently

Thus

So then

Wherefore

Generally

Usually

For the most part

As a rule

Ordinarily

Regularly

In particular

For instance

Particularly

Especially

Such as

Including

Namely

For example

As an example

In this case

Above all

Singularly

Likewise

Coupled with

Compared to

In comparison to

Together with

Besides

In brief

In short

In conclusion

In the meantime

Soon

Later

In the meanwhile

Afterward

Earlier

In summary

To summarize

Finally

Before

After

By the way

Incidentally

As a result of

Accidentally

Here

There

Over there

Opposite

Under

Beyond

In the distance

To the left

To the right

Purpose of Transition Words

Transition words help a written piece to flow more smoothly. Without these types of words, your writing will become choppy. However, sometimes, when a writer is advised to use a new type of device in his or her writing, that person will tend to start sprinkling it in everywhere. Transition words should really fall very naturally throughout a composition.

Let's take a look at examples of sentences without a transition words, and then add a transition word in. You will be able to see how they work with the written word. The first example in each set is lacking a transition word, and the second example in each set has one added.

Carla spent a long day working at school and then cooked dinner for her family. She needed a large cup of coffee. Carla spent a long day working at school and then cooked dinner for her family. Therefore, she needed a large cup of coffee.

Jeffrey will be ready to leave for the trip in 20 minutes. Fill up the car with gas please. Jeffrey will be ready to leave for the trip in 20 minutes. In the meanwhile, fill up the car with gas please.

The trip through the desert was extremely tiring for the crew. Then they saw civilization. The trip through the desert was extremely tiring for the crew. Then, in the distance, they saw civilization.

Paul did not run for the ice cream truck with the other children. He doesn't like ice cream. Paul did not run for the ice cream truck with the other children, because he doesn't like ice cream.

After you read these senetences over a few times, you will see how adding in a transition makes the written word flow better.